Informative Essay on Rough Draft

Michael Jordan is arguable the best basketball player who ever played the game. A phenomenal athlete with the unique combination of fundamental soundness, grace, speed, power, artistry, and an unquenchable competitive desire, Jordan single-handedly redefined the NBA superstar. The thing that separated Jordan from the rest of the all-time greats was his compulsive need to win. Jordan was and is still known for his intense competitiveness and will to win, but that has not translated to his ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Jordan burst into the league as a rookie sensation scoring in droves with an unmatchable first step and acrobatic drives and dunks and concluded his career as a cultural icon. Hard work, dedication, and the desire to be the best Jordan attained many individual accolades through out his career. Individual honors include 10 All-NBA first teams, nine all-defensive first-team, and the NBA’s most valuable player five times. Jordan is the greatest scorer the league has ever seen. He won a record 10 scoring titles, and boasted a career average of 30. 1 points per game, the most in NBA history.

Jordan was also among the greatest winners in NBA history leading the Chicago Bulls to six titles. Jordan became a true champion who spearheaded the globalization of the NBA. Using his dynamic on court abilities, personal sense of style, and star power Jordan built Brand Jordan. Created in 1985 Brand Jordan is an innovator of athletic shoes and apparel marketed to the masses. Brand Jordan has grown to become a market leader under Jordan’s creative design input. Shortly after leading the Bulls to their third consecutive championship Jordan was struck by tragedy.

He lost his father, James, to an act of violence after the end of the 1992-1993 season. In a move that shocked the world Michael Jordan decided to retire from basketball to pursue baseball to honor his late father. In March 1995, however; Jordan returned to the basketball court. He rejoined the Chicago Bulls and eventually helped win the championship that year. He was the star of the team with the greatest record ever, the 1995-96 Bulls, who finished the regular season 72-10, and blew through the playoffs with a 15-3 record, an 87-13 record in one year.

Leading the Bulls to another three-peat Jordan retired a second time in 1999 ending his career on a high note. Labor disputes between NBA players and team owners, and the eventual breakup of the Bulls dynasty were the reasons he called it quits. After a brief hiatus from basketball Jordan returned to the NBA in 2000 not as a player, but as part owner and president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards. His record as the president of the Washington Wizards was horrendous.

His time running the Wizards began in 2000, and he had the final say in personnel matters, such as drafting mega-bust Kwame Brown with the number one pick in 2001. Seeing the rise of young stars like Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and Tracy Mcgrady, and the decline of his status as a player Jordan decided he wanted to return to the court. The next year he began comeback number three. After two disappointing seasons with the Wizards Jordan retired for the last time in 2003. Assuming he would get his job back as the team president, but after doing such a terrible job at team management and evaluating talent team owner Abe Pollin dismissed Jordan.

In his three-plus seasons as an executive and player with the Washington Wizards, Jordan’s teams were 110-179. Out of basketball from 2003 to 2005 the Charlotte Bobcats hired Jordan to run the team. Jordan joined the franchise in 2006 as managing member of basketball operations for owner Robert Johnson. Time away from the game did not improve his talent evaluating skills. His first move in Charlotte was drafting Adam Morrison another mega-bust and trading away a first-round pick to get Tyrus Thomas.

Someone that has not played up to his potential and is to make $26 million over the next three seasons. The bad decisions and poor team management did not stop there. In 2008, after narrowly missing the play-offs he made the dreadful choice to dismantle a very good team to avoid salary cap issues. In 2010, Jordan took over majority ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats buying the team from owner Robert Johnson. Jordan is the first former player to become the majority owner of an NBA team. Unlike his experiences as a front office man in Charlotte and Washington he has to answer to no one.

Jordan has been majority owner for only two years, but managing member of basketball operations for fours before that and the team has gotten worse each year under his control. The Bobcats have produced only one winning season with Jordan’s fingerprints on the team, compiling a record of 188-232. As a decision-maker, Jordan has been disastrous. However, fans, and media seem reluctant to criticize him, perhaps out of deference to his exploits as an athlete. Jordan the athlete was the ultimate leader, disciplined, competitive, and most important driven to win. As an owner he pays attention to team matters when he feels like it.

He golfs, skis, and appears at celebrity events instead of managing his team. Jordan’s status as the greatest player ever and as a high-profile owner it almost impossible for general managers and talent evaluators to do his or her job properly because if they cross Jordan, they will get fire before he listens to his or her opinions. As a result he hires his friends or people who will not disagree or object with the way he runs the team. The one issue of Michael Jordan has a talent evaluator is that he may not understand why players do not have the same work ethic and skill as he had.

His mentality as a player was to outwork his opponent, and he displayed skills that shattered opponents on the hardwood but he has not had the same effect behind a mahogany desk. Because of Jordan the Bobcats have a long, painful road ahead of them. It will take years before they are relevant again. In conclusion, Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player ever but the same skills that drove him as an NBA star are absent as an executive. While possessing the knowledge of how and what it takes to win, he is not as successful as an owner as he was as a player.

A fierce competitor on the court Jordan did what it took to win but as an owner his competitive spirit is does not exist. He is not even around and his team loses every night. Two reasons are the cause for his teams disappointing results on the court. First, his talent, high basketball IQ, and knowledge of the game has not translated to managing his team. Most important he has failed miserably at personnel decisions and evaluating talent. Until he improves in these areas the Charlotte Bobcats will continue to be the worst team in the NBA.